New Year Resolutions Beware: Too Much Exercise Can Kill You

posted by Dawn Dai -
3 months ago

The New Year is right around the corner and so are our "New Year, New Me" resolutions. Along with spending more time with family, quitting smoking, getting out of debt, getting into better health usually ranks at the top 5. We all know that the key to losing weight is having a proper diet, coupled with exercise. However, all should beware...too much exercise can kill you!

According to the New York Post, researchers in Chicago suggest that intense exercise over time may cause stress on arteries which lead to higher coronary artery calcification, also known as CAC. Your CAC levels serve as a warning sign to doctors if you are at risk for developing heart disease and can indicate if preventative measures need to be considered.

Research has also shown that Caucasian men who workout 7½ hours a week are twice as likely to suffer from heart disease and are 86% more likely to have plaque build up "in the heart arteries by middle age" than African American men.

What does all this mean? You still need to exercise, but just like anything it should be done in moderation. National guidelines suggest "150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity such as cycling or brisk walking every week and strength exercises on two or more days a week that work all the major muscles" should be fine.

If you still have questions, be sure to contact your doctor. We want you here for a long time, happy and healthy.